Page 70 of Bound in Vengeance
"We love you, Sienna. Call us tomorrow," they chime in together before the line clicks dead.
When I hang up the phone, I take a deep, shaky breath, letting the silence of the room settle over me before I press the next contact to call them.
The hand we’ve been dealt as Massimo’s daughters is such a cruel one. From the outside looking in, I understand how people could be envious of us. We are the daughters of one of the most powerful and feared men in the state. We have endless wealth at our disposal, elite security details guarding our every move, and constant proximity to success and influence.
But as I look around this empty bedroom, waiting for the inevitable moment my dangerous new husband comes looking for me, I don’t see how any of this is worth envying. It’s just a beautifully decorated prison cell, and the price of our luxury is our freedom.
But as I’ve always done, I refuse to let this life break me. I am going to deal with this the best way I know how, protect my sisters from afar, and keep my head held high. Alessandro Gallo might have bought my hand, but he hasn't conquered my spirit.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
ALESSANDRO
Luca is nowhere to be found. It’s near midnight, and I’ve been searching for hours, unleashing my trackers on every hidden corner of the city. The bastard knows exactly what I will do to him when I find him, and he’s fallen completely off the face of the earth to hide. To make matters worse, I can’t locate Pietro either, and the dual disappearance is grating on my last nerve.
But as I finally climb the grand staircase of the mansion, leaving the frustration downstairs, a sudden, unexpected spark of anticipation hits me. The thought of seeing Sienna excites me. I’ve been gone half the day, leaving her entirely to herself, and I’m sure she has settled into the suite by now.
I know the moment I walk through the door, she’ll throw fire at me. She will probably meet me with those glaring, defiant eyes, but after the infuriating day I’ve had, I am more than ready to play. Despite how much Sienna tries to pretend I do nothing butirritate her, I know the truth. She melts like pudding in my arms the moment I touch her.
Still, a small, dark caution lingers in my mind. I hope she doesn’t outright reject me tonight. I might be a ruthless man, I might be many of the things people whisper about, but I don’t force women to have sex with me. Never. It goes against everything I am.
I stop in front of the master suite and push the heavy doors open.
The private sitting room is dark and completely empty. A cold spike of unease hits me, something about how quiet the entire space feels tells me she’s not in the bedroom either. Stubbornly, I storm across the suite and fling open the bedroom doors, only to be met with crisp, undisturbed dark silk sheets and absolute silence.
I march back out into the hallway, my blood pressure skyrocketing. Where the hell is she when it’s almost midnight? Surely, she hadn’t tried to run away. She is much smarter than that, and she knows my security detail covers every inch of the perimeter.
I am stalking down the dimly lit corridor, my boots heavy against the floor, when I run into one of the housekeepers carrying a basket of late-night laundry.
"Where is my wife?" I bark at her, my voice echoing dangerously in the quiet hall.
The girl jumps, dropping a folded towel as she looks up at me with wide, terrified eyes. She shakes so hard the wicker basket rattles against her hip. "S-Sir... Mrs. Gallo... she is down the east wing, Mr. Gallo. In the violet room."
I freeze, my jaw clenching so hard a muscle twitches in my cheek. I am absolutely livid.
She took a separate room? On our wedding night? What the fuck?
I turn on my heel, ignoring the stammering maid, and march directly toward the east wing, my strides long, lethal, and furious.
I reach the room ready to bring the door down, but it’s unlocked.
I barge into the room, the door swinging back hard against the wall. The moment I step inside, my eyes land on a delicate set of lace underwear laid out neatly on the bed. A hot, territorial reaction hits me instantly, and coupled with the raw anger vibrating in my veins, it drives me completely insane.
Hearing the sound of running water coming from the adjoining bathroom, I don't hesitate. I stride across the bedroom and barge right in.
Sienna gasps, spinning around to try and cover herself with a towel, but the fury blinding me takes over completely. She is still wet, covered in soap bubbles, her gorgeous hair slicked back. Idon't want to hear her excuses, and I'm not about to let her draw a single boundary between us on our wedding night.
"What the hell do you think you're doing in here?" I growl.
Before she can even spit out an answer, I reach out, grab her firmly by the waist, and haul her right out of the bathroom. She is furious, fighting against my grip, twisting her body, and screaming at the top of her lungs for me to put her down.
Her wet skin makes her slippery, but I tighten my hold, lifting her off her feet as I carry her straight out of the violet room and down the long corridor toward the master suite.
She kicks and claws at my chest, but I don't slacken my grip for a single second until I kick the heavy doors of my bedroom open, stride inside, and drop her onto her feet.
The moment her toes hit the rug, her hand flies up.
Crack.
